The East Bay Community Law Center is the community-based component of Boalt Hall’s Clinical Program, providing law students with a unique opportunity to learn about the responsibilities of practicing law while reflecting on the lawyer’s role and the lawyering process. Under the supervision of EBCLC’s clinical instructors, students provide direct legal services to low-income clients and community groups in Alameda County.

Boalt students may participate at EBCLC:

• For academic credit in the Clinical Program (2Ls & 3Ls)
• As volunteers in the Community Legal Outreach (1Ls)
• As interns during the Summer Program
• In an advisory capacity on the Student Steering Committee

Community Legal Outreach Program (1Ls)

For more than ten years, EBCLC’s Community Legal Outreach (CLO) Program has engaged first-year students to assist under served communities throughout Oakland. Under the supervision of EBCLC staff attorneys, upper class student coordinators recruit and train students to conduct outreach visits to shelters, transitional housing sites and health clinics.

Each year, CLO students provide basic information and make referrals to more than 1,000 low-income people in need of social and legal services. These linkages often make the difference between people being housed or homeless, and having access to other basic necessities such as income and health care.